The Indian Navy has officially launched its first indigenously built anti-submarine warfare (ASW) vessel known as “Arnala.”
A ceremony was held in eastern India to mark the milestone, with Ministry of Defence representative Rasika Chaube in attendance.
Built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE), the vessel has been named Arnala to signify the strategic maritime importance of the island of Arnala in west India.
Once in service, Arnala will support anti-submarine operations in coastal waters and subsurface surveillance in littoral waters.
The ship is part of the eight ASW-shallow watercraft under contract between the defense ministry and the GRSE.
#Arnala, the 1st ship of the 8 ASW Shallow Water Craft (ASW SWC) being built by @OfficialGRSE, was launched by Smt Rasika Chaube, Financial Adviser (Defence Services), Ministry of Defence, the Chief Guest, on #20Dec 22 at M/s L&T, Kattupalli, #Chennai. https://t.co/jx5Hyln8i1 pic.twitter.com/54Fi3lH9lZ
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) December 20, 2022
Key Features
The Arnala ASW vessel has a length of 77.6 meters (254 feet) and a width of over 10 meters (32 feet).
It is fitted with three water jets to provide improved maneuverability during operations.
Armed with lightweight torpedoes and ASW rockets, the ship is capable of carrying out coordinated anti-submarine operations with military aircraft.
It can accommodate up to 60 personnel.
According to the defense ministry, the Arnala contains over 80 percent indigenous content to support the local shipbuilding industry.
The anti-submarine warfare ships will eventually replace the Indian Navy’s Abhay-class vessels.
